1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for facilitating the microwave heating of a liquid. The invention more particularly relates to a method and system which can be readily used in a convenient manner for heating liquids to a uniform temperature, while being contained in a variety of different sizes and shapes of containers.
2. Background Art
In the co-pending foregoing-mentioned parent patent application, there is disclosed a system and method for heating liquids, such as milk or baby formula in a specially equipped baby bottle by utilizing microwave energy in a safe and convenient manner. Utilization of the apparatus and method disclosed in the foregoing patent facilitates the heating of milk or baby formula to a uniform temperature, thus avoiding oral or pharyngeal injury to the consumer of the hot liquid. Such an injury can otherwise result from microwave heating of the milk or formula in ordinary baby bottles by utilizing conventional microwave ovens.
While such a system and method has proven to be highly successful, it would be desirable to have a new and improved system and method which facilitates the microwave heating of the milk, formula or other liquids contained in a variety of different sizes and shapes of conventional containers in a safe manner to a uniform temperature. For example, some milk or baby formula can be dispensed in a conventional plastic sack container supported within a rigid frame. Thus, it would be desirable to be able to microwave heat liquid in such a container or a variety of different containers in a safe manner utilizing the principles of the foregoing parent patent application. Moreover, it would be desirable to be able to heat other types of substances, such as blood plasma stored in a plastic non-uniform shaped container, such as a plastic package, to a uniform temperature in a convenient manner.
Furthermore, it would be highly useful to microwave heat other types of food products, such as soup or other comestibles with or without the use of its original container for the liquid. In this regard, for example, soup products and other such comestibles are frequently packaged in metal containers which ordinarily can not be heated in a conventional microwave oven.
Thus, it would be highly desirable to be able to heat liquids to a uniform temperature in a conventional microwave oven, independent of the type or kind of original package for the liquid.